Holders of IMM13 are more priviledged than ordinary M’sians: SAPP

Larry Ralon

INANAM: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Wednesday accused Umno of trying to take advantage of the amnesty package to register illegal immigrants, including in Sabah, for the purpose of making use of them during elections.

Its Deputy President, Datuk Eric Majimbun, said with the use of the biometric system to record the data of illegals it would be easier for Umno to track them and use them when election time comes.

“He claimed this was part of strategies used by Umno apart from the hardcore poor housing (PPRT) scheme which is used to increase the number of Muslim voters in proportion to the non-Muslim voters of constituencies dominated by the non-Muslim population.

"That is why all of a sudden, despite the amnesty package being postponed in the penin- sula, here in Sabah we are still continuing with it," he said, adding that the government is again showing its soft spot by changing what had already been decided under the amnesty package.

The Government now seems to also want to skip that part of the amnesty package whichinvolves deportation of the registered illegal immiglants, he said.

"The changes made to the amnesty package makes it more confusing as to what actually the government intended to achieve from this amnesty package," he told a press conference held at the party's Sepanggar office here.

On the Australia-Malaysia refugee/asylum seeker swap deal, Majimbun doubts it would involve Sabah because as far as the party is concerned most if not all of those refugees (IMM13 holders) from the Southern Philippines who are currently staying at the refugee settlement areas in the State have already been issued the blue MyKad.

"You go to the Refugee Settlement Scheme in Telipok, you'll probably be surprised that they have a blue MyKad now," he cited, saying that the 84,000 IMM13 holders as stated by the State Government before are actually "recycled refugees" meaning foreigners who replaced those already issued with the MyKad.

Asked then why the IMM13 document still exists, Majimbun said the answer is simple - because the special privileges accorded to those holding this document are "much better than being a local Malaysian".

On the new MyKad being introduced by the government, he hoped it will include features that have been voiced out by the people of Sabah.

This is like the ethnicity part like the Sino Kadazan and so on which has been the subject of complaint in Sabah, he said.

Daily Express

Thursday, 4 August 2011

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